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| Portable Headphone Amps Discussion of portable headphone amps. |
01-24-2007, 10:09 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus:
Reviewerus Prolificus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EnOYiN
I just got a Porta Corda MkIII-USB in the mail today. But it is not on this list. 
Great reviews though. I really liked reading them. Maybe you can try to get people to send you portable amps for free just to test them.  |
I wish I did have the ability to test even more amps, I really enjoy doing it. But buying them all does get expensive, and eventually I have to sell them.
I had a PCIII a little over a year ago. I thought it sounded excellent. I sold it because I really don't like portable amps that don't have rechargable batteries. The RSA Tomahawk is an exception, since the batteries last almost 500 hours 
__________________
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of PM's I have been receiving in connection with my reviews, I no longer have the time to answer PM's from people with zero posts. Please read head-fi first before asking questions.
Team GO-U-NORTHWESTERN
Pics: Main Home Rig; Bedside Rig; Office Rig; Portable Rig;
Headphones: JVC HP-DX1000, HA-RX900; Headphile Deep Cup Darth Beyers VXD3,VXD4; Beyerdynamic DT990/600 (Manufaktur) DT770/600 (Manufaktur), DT880/600 Balanced (Manufaktur); HiFi-Man HE-2 Planar Magnetic; Sennheiser PXC-350; Shure SRH840
Home amps: Ray Samuels Audio Stealth (Mullard ECC32/CV4003); Decware Zen CSP-2 (Amperex BB 6DJ8/Sophia Princess 274B); Darkvoice 337 (GEC 6AS7G's/Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SJ7GTs); Wheatfield Audio HA-2 (Mullard ECC32/GEC 6AS7G/GEC U52); Ming-Da MC84-C 07 (Mullard CV4004/EL84/EM87); Audiotailor Jade (GEC 6AS7G/Sylvania 5751); J. Sound Lab Headphone (Mullard 12AT7); Audio-GD Phoenix; Musical Paradise MP-301 (Ken-Rad 6V6GT/Mullard 6AU6)
Portable Amps: Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang; Decware ZenHead; Qables iQube
Sources: Denon DP59L table + Clearaudio Maestro Wood / VPI Scoutmaster + Benz Micro Wood L2 > Audio Electronics PH-1 DJH Phono Preamp; Music Hall 25.2 DAC; Denon DVD-5900;Red Wine Audio iMod iPod (Apple Lossless) & ALO VCap dock; Sony SCD-555ES SACD player
Loudspeaker system: Krell KAV250 Preamp>Sunfire Signature II Power amp > B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures + Velodyne FSR-1500/Martin Logan Descent
Tube testers: B&K Dyna-quick 650 & Dyna-Jet 606
Head-fi feedback
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01-24-2007, 10:34 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,186
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My AE-1 battery last last least 100 hours. I don't let it go much longer than that before charging.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab
I wish I did have the ability to test even more amps, I really enjoy doing it. But buying them all does get expensive, and eventually I have to sell them.
I had a PCIII a little over a year ago. I thought it sounded excellent. I sold it because I really don't like portable amps that don't have rechargable batteries. The RSA Tomahawk is an exception, since the batteries last almost 500 hours |
__________________
Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-003; Ultrasone: Edition 9 (2); AT:ESW10JPN; Sleek SA6 Wireless--- Home Amps: Stax: SRM-252a; Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02--- Portable Amps: TTVJ: Portable Millet Hybrid;-----Sources: Lavry DA10 (2); Oppo 981HD; Squeezebox V3; iMod; Sansa Fuse; HeadAmp Pico-amp/dac&Pico DAC-----Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
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01-24-2007, 10:56 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Zurich for now
Posts: 4,220
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Phenomenal review. Succinct, very broad coverage, not shunning from being "politically incorrect", and great comments about customer service. I understand only too well what you mean by Larocco Audio's idiosyncratic customer service, and not even in a necessarily bad way.
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01-25-2007, 12:28 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London/Oxford
Posts: 766
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Just wondering even though I know you don't like the xin way of doing stuff - but whereabouts in the pile do the supermini and supermacro come?
It seems that the supermini especially is competitive in terms of features and form factor.....and the supermacro for customisation. But how do they sound in the lineup? Do they have that 'wow'?
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01-25-2007, 12:32 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,186
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Anyone wanting their amps compared could offer to send them to him for a more complete review.
Any takers? I have already offered my AE-1.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chris_ah1
Just wondering even though I know you don't like the xin way of doing stuff - but whereabouts in the pile do the supermini and supermacro come?
It seems that the supermini especially is competitive in terms of features and form factor.....and the supermacro for customisation. But how do they sound in the lineup? Do they have that 'wow'?
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__________________
Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-003; Ultrasone: Edition 9 (2); AT:ESW10JPN; Sleek SA6 Wireless--- Home Amps: Stax: SRM-252a; Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02--- Portable Amps: TTVJ: Portable Millet Hybrid;-----Sources: Lavry DA10 (2); Oppo 981HD; Squeezebox V3; iMod; Sansa Fuse; HeadAmp Pico-amp/dac&Pico DAC-----Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
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01-25-2007, 01:33 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus:
Reviewerus Prolificus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris_ah1
Just wondering even though I know you don't like the xin way of doing stuff - but whereabouts in the pile do the supermini and supermacro come?
It seems that the supermini especially is competitive in terms of features and form factor.....and the supermacro for customisation. But how do they sound in the lineup? Do they have that 'wow'?
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I owned a Xin SuperMacro 3 V6 for 6 months or so. It was a very good amp - definitely in the class of amps that for me has that WOW factor, yes. Never heard any of the other XIN amps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slwiser
Anyone wanting their amps compared could offer to send them to him for a more complete review.
Any takers? I have already offered my AE-1.
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Slwiser has, in fact, kindly offered to loan me his AE-1 - I will review it and add it in
__________________
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of PM's I have been receiving in connection with my reviews, I no longer have the time to answer PM's from people with zero posts. Please read head-fi first before asking questions.
Team GO-U-NORTHWESTERN
Pics: Main Home Rig; Bedside Rig; Office Rig; Portable Rig;
Headphones: JVC HP-DX1000, HA-RX900; Headphile Deep Cup Darth Beyers VXD3,VXD4; Beyerdynamic DT990/600 (Manufaktur) DT770/600 (Manufaktur), DT880/600 Balanced (Manufaktur); HiFi-Man HE-2 Planar Magnetic; Sennheiser PXC-350; Shure SRH840
Home amps: Ray Samuels Audio Stealth (Mullard ECC32/CV4003); Decware Zen CSP-2 (Amperex BB 6DJ8/Sophia Princess 274B); Darkvoice 337 (GEC 6AS7G's/Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SJ7GTs); Wheatfield Audio HA-2 (Mullard ECC32/GEC 6AS7G/GEC U52); Ming-Da MC84-C 07 (Mullard CV4004/EL84/EM87); Audiotailor Jade (GEC 6AS7G/Sylvania 5751); J. Sound Lab Headphone (Mullard 12AT7); Audio-GD Phoenix; Musical Paradise MP-301 (Ken-Rad 6V6GT/Mullard 6AU6)
Portable Amps: Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang; Decware ZenHead; Qables iQube
Sources: Denon DP59L table + Clearaudio Maestro Wood / VPI Scoutmaster + Benz Micro Wood L2 > Audio Electronics PH-1 DJH Phono Preamp; Music Hall 25.2 DAC; Denon DVD-5900;Red Wine Audio iMod iPod (Apple Lossless) & ALO VCap dock; Sony SCD-555ES SACD player
Loudspeaker system: Krell KAV250 Preamp>Sunfire Signature II Power amp > B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures + Velodyne FSR-1500/Martin Logan Descent
Tube testers: B&K Dyna-quick 650 & Dyna-Jet 606
Head-fi feedback
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01-25-2007, 02:05 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 1,939
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slwiser
Anyone wanting their amps compared could offer to send them to him for a more complete review.
Any takers? I have already offered my AE-1.
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Steve, has your AE-1 been updated by Justin to the latest spec?
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick82
"Everything in audio is subtle and not worth it."
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"The purpose of art is to demonstrate that which in argument would appear incomprehensible." - Leo Tolstoy
My feedback
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01-25-2007, 02:57 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,186
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No it has not but and don't know that Justin will actually do that up-date for us but it is good enough for this comparison anyway. Maybe someone with the new AE-2 will also send it to him.
Mine is well broken in...It has the serial number of 002.
Quote:
Originally Posted by daveDerek
Steve, has your AE-1 been updated by Justin to the latest spec?
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__________________
Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-003; Ultrasone: Edition 9 (2); AT:ESW10JPN; Sleek SA6 Wireless--- Home Amps: Stax: SRM-252a; Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02--- Portable Amps: TTVJ: Portable Millet Hybrid;-----Sources: Lavry DA10 (2); Oppo 981HD; Squeezebox V3; iMod; Sansa Fuse; HeadAmp Pico-amp/dac&Pico DAC-----Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
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01-25-2007, 04:45 AM
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Junior Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 16
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Has anyone any word on the rumoured pro version of the xtra x1?
When will it be released? What are the mods? How much? etc etc
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01-25-2007, 04:49 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Santa Rosa, CA --image Katmandu, Nepal Summer 2006 *We are but a cosmic blink or was that wink?*
Posts: 7,601
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I can iquire but last I heard it was still a few weeks off. It will have more power and some other changes that have not been mentioned and will cost about 10 more dollars in China or about 20 more in the US and other places.
__________________
John aka Jam and Jama
Photo gallery at: www.pbase.com/jamato8 Recent publication: Ethnobotany Research & Applications, Vol 7 (2009) Kam Guilzhouh nyim Guangxxih di Benxtux Wenchual nyim Zihyuanc dih Gonxliix: Kam Local Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Resource Management in Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, China http://www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/
The one constant in life is change, so will that change?
Feel with your own heart, see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears.
JH13's > Why stay home when you can go to the concert?
Listening with: JH13 Pro, Grado HF2 #469
Digital conversion: the all new MB-1 optical dual Wolfson portable dac
Amps I am currently listening with: RSA P-51 Mustang, SR 71A, iBasso D10, Lisa III, OEM BLack Gate, Non Black Gate, iBasso P3+, iBasso T3 (new version), RSA Shadow, iBasso D4
Favorite monitors: JH13 Pro, Grado HF2, Ultrasone Ed. 9 #1010, ATH-ESW10JPN
Portable monitor ratings: 1. JH 13 Pro 2. ESW10 JPN 3. PortaPros, KSC35 (modified-a great value) *4. UM2
Source: iRiver H130,140, D303 optical out, D-EJ955, D-EJ1000, D-EJ2000, 25s, 25, D-303, D-777 and others (optical out if available)
Digital Conversion: MB-1 optical Dac, Altoid tin Monica Dac I, Altoid tin Monica II Asynchronous Reclocking Dac, iBasso D10
Headphone Amplifiers:RSA: Shadow, Predator, P-51 Mustang, SR71A, Xin: IV Micro, IV Mini, Reference, SM3B, SuperMacro V LE, SM3 V6 (IV all switches), XRTA X-1, C&C Box, iBasso: P1, P2, P3, P3+, T1, T2, T3, T4 D1, D2, D3, D4, D10 Woo 3 Modified-Siemens 6922 driver, 7236 power tube, Woo 6 with the original Pseudo dual PS -
Ear Monitors: JH13 Pro, Ultra Ed. 9, Grado HF-2/F1 #469, HD650, ATH-ESW10 JPN, Ultrasone 750, HFI780, PortaPro modified, KSC35, Equation RP-21, Westone UM2
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01-25-2007, 04:55 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 504
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Would the Tomahawk improve sound when the source is the headphone-out of a DAP?
I ask because my Rio Carbon doesn't have a line-out, and I'm considering the Tomahawk to pair with my e500. There's an annoying hiss when I use my e500 direct from the Carbon, and I'm interested in the Tomahawk given its reputation for no noise.
However, would I notice any sonic improvements given the lack of line-out?
__________________
Home: Squeezebox 3 -> LiTe DAC-AH (modded) -> MisterX M³ (opa637) + σ11 -> Sennheiser HD650
Office: Alien DAC -> MisterX XP HE (ad8397) -> Koss KSC-35 | Yuin PK3
Portable: Rio Carbon -> Shure E500
Feedback: Head-Fi | eBay
The Departed: K701, DT880, HD595, PK1, DT990, A900, PK2, A500, HD555, SR60, ES7, sf5pro, e2, Vibe, XD200, CM7, PX100, MX400
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01-25-2007, 06:23 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: B.C., Canada
Posts: 2,397
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Is it just me or did you only take sound into consideration?
I think price and portability counts as well?
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01-25-2007, 02:29 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus:
Reviewerus Prolificus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nsjong
Is it just me or did you only take sound into consideration?
I think price and portability counts as well?
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You are right on both counts. I specifically did not factor price or size into my rankings - my rating was ONLY about sound.
Price, and value, are not for me to judge. I did periodically indicate that I thought an amp was very good for the money, or was great for the size, but this review was purely to assess sound quality.
__________________
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of PM's I have been receiving in connection with my reviews, I no longer have the time to answer PM's from people with zero posts. Please read head-fi first before asking questions.
Team GO-U-NORTHWESTERN
Pics: Main Home Rig; Bedside Rig; Office Rig; Portable Rig;
Headphones: JVC HP-DX1000, HA-RX900; Headphile Deep Cup Darth Beyers VXD3,VXD4; Beyerdynamic DT990/600 (Manufaktur) DT770/600 (Manufaktur), DT880/600 Balanced (Manufaktur); HiFi-Man HE-2 Planar Magnetic; Sennheiser PXC-350; Shure SRH840
Home amps: Ray Samuels Audio Stealth (Mullard ECC32/CV4003); Decware Zen CSP-2 (Amperex BB 6DJ8/Sophia Princess 274B); Darkvoice 337 (GEC 6AS7G's/Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SJ7GTs); Wheatfield Audio HA-2 (Mullard ECC32/GEC 6AS7G/GEC U52); Ming-Da MC84-C 07 (Mullard CV4004/EL84/EM87); Audiotailor Jade (GEC 6AS7G/Sylvania 5751); J. Sound Lab Headphone (Mullard 12AT7); Audio-GD Phoenix; Musical Paradise MP-301 (Ken-Rad 6V6GT/Mullard 6AU6)
Portable Amps: Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang; Decware ZenHead; Qables iQube
Sources: Denon DP59L table + Clearaudio Maestro Wood / VPI Scoutmaster + Benz Micro Wood L2 > Audio Electronics PH-1 DJH Phono Preamp; Music Hall 25.2 DAC; Denon DVD-5900;Red Wine Audio iMod iPod (Apple Lossless) & ALO VCap dock; Sony SCD-555ES SACD player
Loudspeaker system: Krell KAV250 Preamp>Sunfire Signature II Power amp > B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures + Velodyne FSR-1500/Martin Logan Descent
Tube testers: B&K Dyna-quick 650 & Dyna-Jet 606
Head-fi feedback
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01-25-2007, 05:13 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 71
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Howdy Skylab! Time for me to start chiming in and boost my post count (you know what I mean!).
Thank you for a most thorough and insightful review. I decided to go with the Xin SuperMini IV, which I hope to see at my doorstep in this lifetime  The price was right along with it's extreme portablity for tucking in my back pocket on long road rides, crossfeed settings, et al and I'm not in that big that a hurry for its arrival. Xin actaully emailed me stating it would take two weeks. It has already been longer than that, so we shall see.
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01-25-2007, 05:16 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 71
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I would also like to say 'hi' to everyone here. Skylab turned me on to headfi awhile back and I have been lurking/researching for the last month or so, looking into headphones and portable amps. What a GREAT place this is, chock full of all sorts of information. I am glad to have found it.
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